Half marathon helps Weirton woman maintain fitness goals

FIRST TIME — Weirton resident Melissa Barlow poses with her fiance Nick Minto before running her first Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon on Saturday in Wheeling. — Shelley Hanson

WHEELING – Weirton resident Melissa Barlow ran her first Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic on Saturday, but noted beforehand that she was a little nervous about the race’s famous steep hills.

In preparation for the event, she began training a few months ago and even gave 29th Street hill a try recently, too.

“I tried 29th Street and I didn’t have to walk it,” Barlow said.

Barlow said doing the race fits in with her new healthy lifestyle. About five years ago she started a whole foods diet and lost 50 pounds. Running, she said, is also a great stress reliever.

“The more weight you can lose, the more active you can be,” she said.

Barlow was accompanied by her fiance Nick Minto and her 14-year-old daughter Mackina Barlow.

Minto said he supports his fiancee’s training and running regime because it helps her feel her best.

“If she doesn’t have her running time she gets stressed out,” Minto said.

Barlow noted having a fitness goal to work towards, such as a race, makes exercising and staying in shape easier and more enjoyable.

“When you have a fitness goal it gives you something to work towards,” she said.

Barlow said her goal for the race was simply to finish it.